Haryana Cabinet approves the draft of the SMDA, 2023 Bill | Haryana | 08 Apr 2023

Why in News?

On 5 April 2023, Haryana cabinet meeting was held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, in which the draft of Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA), 2023 Bill was approved.

Key Points

• This draft bill seeks to ensure continuous, sustainable and balanced development of Sonipat Metropolitan Area through quality of life and creation of employment opportunities aiming to develop a vision for a reasonable standard of living and integrated and coordinated planning, infrastructure to be provided to residents.
• Apart from this, the enactment of this bill will also lead to development and provision of urban amenities, mobility management, sustainable management of urban environment and social, economic & industrial development.
• The government has decided to set up Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA) Sonipat on the lines of Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) Gurugram, Faridabad Metropolitan Development Authority (FMDA), Faridabad and Panchkula Metropolitan Development Authority (PMDA) Panchkula.
• Its main objective is to develop a vision for the sustainable and balanced development of the Sonipat Metropolitan Area. Urban facilities and infrastructural development will be strengthened by the authorities.
• The Chief Minister will be the chairman of Sonipat Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA), while Town and Country Planning Minister, Urban Local Bodies Minister, Transport Minister, Member of Parliament, State Legislative Assembly, Mayor and Senior Deputy Mayor of Municipal Corporation Sonipat and many senior officials of the State Government will be ex-officio members of this authority.

Haryana Government amended the Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Rules, 1964 | Haryana | 08 Apr 2023

Why in News?

On 5 April 2023, in the meeting of the Council of Ministers held in Chandigarh under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal, it was decided to amend sub-rule (2A) of the Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Rules, 1964.

Key Points

• Under this, interested social societies or religious institutions that want to establish Gaushala, Biogas Plant, Panchgavya Products, Veterinary Hospital, Research and Training Center and for growing fodder will now be able to take the included land on lease for a period of up to 20 years.
• For this, the lease holder in the Gaushalas will have to keep at least 50 percent of the destitute animals in the Gaushala during the lease period of the total animal population.
• These rules are now called the 'Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Haryana Amendment Rules, 2023'.
• After the said amendment, now the Gram Panchayat through its land allotment will be allowed to give lease for a period of up to 20 years at a minimum rate of Rs 5100 per acre per year.
• Religious organizations with a history of philanthropic contribution to the society verified by their forefathers will be recommended by the District Level Committee and the Haryana Gau-Seva Aayog.
• Any land in Shamlat Deh will be allowed to be given on lease for establishment of Gaushala in the ratio of 0.75 acre for every 100 animals (at least 50 percent destitute cattle) after construction of Gaushala.
• In Shamlat Deh, any land will be allowed to lease 2 acres of land to a Gaushala with 1500 animals (at least 50 percent stray animals) for ancillary purposes like biogas plant, Panchgavya products, veterinary hospital, research and training center etc.
• After construction of Gaushala, 1.5 acres of land earmarked for cattle rearing will be allowed to be given on lease for cultivation of fodder for every 100 animals (at least 50 percent destitute animals).

Online portal launched for Empanelment of Private Hospitals | Haryana | 08 Apr 2023

Why in News?

According to the information provided by the Haryana Information, Public Relations and Language Department on 5 April 2023, Haryana Health and Family Welfare Minister Anil Vij has launched an online portal and a software as part of his commitment to provide transparent and quick health services to the people in the state.

Key Points

• Now on this portal, the process of empanelment of private hospitals will be online as soon as possible and they will be issued an online empanelment certificate.
• Private hospitals will be submitted on this portal with the complete set of required valid documents. Login ID is created at 4 levels namely PM Branch (ASMO/DD), DGHS, ACS (Health) & Health Minister for processing and subsequently approve/reject the applications.
• The state government is facilitating this through empanelment of private hospitals apart from government health institutions, especially for providing tertiary and super-specialty health facilities to its employees, pensioners and their dependents. To ensure highest quality standards, only JCI/NABH accredited hospitals have been empaneled since 2017 and no empanelment fee is charged.
• Presently, applications for empanelment are submitted in hard copy, by hand or by post to the DGHS office. Applications are taken on file and processed at various levels from the Minister of Health to the Clerk until final approval.
• Similarly, the online empanelment portal will enable efficient and quick processing of such applications, which also has the facility of real time tracking of applications. Deficiencies in the application, if any, will be highlighted on the portal for correction by the applicant hospitals without the need to visit any office.
• In this, a dashboard has also been prepared for the officers to monitor the functionality/pending of the applications. The dashboard for the users (State Government employees/pensioners) along with complete details about each empaneled hospital, empanelment period, scope of services, details of beds, details of doctors etc. is also displayed.
• Moreover, this online empanelment portal is another example of the Haryana Government's commitment towards efficient, transparent and speedy service delivery under which private hospitals will get an online certificate of empanelment.
• It is to be noted that at present, there are 423 (211 multi-specialty and 208 single specialty) private hospitals under the empanelment of the state government.

Randomization and Real Time Inspection Software (Drug Wing) | Haryana | 08 Apr 2023

Why in News?

According to the information provided by the Haryana Information, Public Relations and Language Department on 5 April 2023, Health and Family Welfare Minister Anil Vij has launched Randomization and Real Time Inspection Software (Drug Wing) for inspection of drug license stakeholders' organizations issued by Food and Drug Administration Department.

Key Points

• Haryana is the first state in the country to launch this software. This software will be implemented in Panchkula district on pilot basis and later it will be implemented in other districts of the state.
• This software has been started for the drug wing in the first phase and the food wing will be included in the second phase. The names of the random licensed units will be displayed on the official's mobile app for inspection.
• Through this software, the drug control officer will be given the duty to inspect the drug unit in a random manner and the target of inspection will also be given to these officers according to the month, which will be online. Inspection of all such drug units will be online and real time.
• In this, the officers will also have to share geo-tagging and location and immediately submit their inspection reports online to the licensing authority and higher authorities at the same time. For inspection, the concerned officers will also have to get approval from the controlling officers.
• It is known that at present there are 32581 retail and wholesale drug licensees in the state.